Cork U20s show promise in John Kerins Cup victory over Roscommon
Cork's Peadar O'Rourke shoots from Roscommon's Eoin Ward. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
THE CORK U20 footballers secured a first victory in the John Kerins Cup following a hard-fought contest against Roscommon in their Group 1 encounter at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday afternoon.
The Rebels were determined to end the group stage with a win following a draw with Laois and defeat against Galway. Roscommon were sitting top on three points, while the Leesiders were bottom with a point, albeit with a number of key players out injured.
Cork's defeat to Galway last day out all but ended their chances of advancing in the pre-season development competition, but nonetheless this game was still a very important game for the Munster side in preparation for the championship.
Bobby O’Dwyer and his management team will be pleased to finish the competition with a victory, but the performance will also have delighted the men on the sideline.
Roscommon needed a win to copper-fasten their qualification from the group and straight into the final, but this result puts them out of the running.
Cork made a dream start, Conor Daly did fantastic work and gave a great ball across the square, which Peadar O’Rourke palmed the ball into the net for an easy finish after 34 seconds. Roscommon replied with a point from a free through Bobby Nugent and the latter bisected the posts from open play three minutes later.
Cork were dangerous going forward and were very close to raising a second green flag when Daly’s shot was stopped on the line by Roscommon defender David Flanagan. Cork were lively in the opening quarter, and kicked three unanswered white flags in a two-minute spell, Hugh O’Connor, Tom Cunningham and Daly with the points, 1-3 to 0-2 after 11 minutes. The Rebels would fail to score for the next 24 minutes.
Roscommon landed their first score in 14 minutes, as danger man Nugent pointed following great work by wing-back Colm Neary. The Rossies reduced the deficit to two points when Eoin Colleran converted a close-range free, 1-3 to 0-4 with eight minutes to the break.
The Connacht side, unbeaten in their first two games, were slowly coming into the game, and a beauty of a point from Declan Kenny reduced the margin down to a single point.
The Rossies then had a fabulous chance of a goal, but Senan Lambe’s effort went narrowly wide from close-range. Cork landed a very important score on the stroke of half-time, as Oisin O’Sullivan converted a long-range free, a much-needed score for Cork, as the home side led at the short-whistle, 1-4 to 0-6.
On the resumption, both sides traded points inside two minutes, as a lively second half was likely, with both teams eager for the win. Daly pushed the Rebels two points clear before Roscommon sub Conor Ryan pointed, 1-6 to 0-8 after 35 minutes.
Nugent, who was a thorn in Cork’s defence throughout levelled the contest, before the latter was denied a goal following a good save by Cork netminder Callum Dungan. Ryan converted a free, as the visitors now led for the first time after 42 minutes. Cork replied with three unanswered points in three minutes, Cunningham with two and a fine Daly effort, 1-9 to 0-10 with 10 minutes remaining.
Roscommon kicked two of the next three points to reduce the deficit down to a point, but Cork hung on for the win.
Cork face either Limerick or Waterford in the Munster championship semi-final on Monday, April 17.
T Cunningham 0-4 (0-1 f), P O’Rourke 1-0, C Daly 0-3, H O’Connor 0-2, O O’Sullivan 0-1 f.
B Nugent 0-6 (0-2 f), E Colleran 0-3 f, C Ryan 0-2 (0-1 f), D Kenny 0-1.
C Dungan (Carrigaline); D Twomey (Ballinascarthy), J O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers), M Quirke (Ballinora); C Dodd (Canovee), T O’Mahony (Castlehaven), C Kenneally (Clonakilty); S Dore (Ballincollig), O O’Sullivan (Kilmeen); P O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers), H O’Connor (Newmarket), E de Burca (St Michael’s); P O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), C Daly (Clonakilty), T Cunningham (Kilshannig).
F Crowley (St Finbarr’s) for C Dodd (44), R Minihane (Castlehaven) for O O’Sullivan (48), J Gibson (Mayfield) for P O’Rourke (51), M McSweeney (Knocknagree) for E de Burca (56), N O’Keeffe (Carrigaline) for P O’Driscoll (61), D Collins (Aghada) for C Daly (62).
S Kelly; D Casey, D Flanagan, M Sugrue; C Neary, E Ward, S Lambe; O Cregg, O O’Flaherty; J Tumulty, D Kenny, C Kelly; D O’Beirne, E Colleran, B Nugent.
T Lennon for D Flanagan, C Ryan for O O’Flaherty (both h-t), R Hester for O Cregg (48), R Heneghan for D Kenny (52), T Morris for C Kelly (56), C Harley for M Sugrue (61).
Pádraig O’Sullivan (Kerry).
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